Soap feeder



G. C. SCHMIDT SOAP FEEDER Sept. 14, 1948.

Filed May "l, 1945 'Sp M, w48. G. c. SCHMIDT SOAP FEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 7, 1945 INVENTOR. George C. Schmidt ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 14, 1948 SOAP FEEDER George C. Schmidt, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, of one-half to Lois R. Schmidt and one-half to Robert G. Schmidt, both of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application May 7, 1945, Serial No. 592,506

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for feeding soap in regulated quantity to the water oi dishwashing machines and the like.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a feeder or dispenser which thru diiusion will feed the soap in uniform and regulated manner to the cleansing iiuid of washing machines under such circumstances as to maintain a uniform alkalinity of the washing iluid over long periods of vwashing time without substantial variation.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a feeder or regulator adapted to be used in spray types of washing machines in which thru diffusion the soap or cleaner is automatically fed to the cleansing iluid under such circumstances as to result in a material saving of the soap or cleaner while maintaining the wash water at uniform strength thruout the entire wash period. In this respect the regulator eliminates waste of hand feeding methods.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a, part of this specication, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved feeder or regulator.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken thru the improved regulator showing granular cleaner, such as soap, therein.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a perforated screen disc used in the regulator for supporting the soap or cleaner.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing a plurality of the regulating valves.

-Figure 5 is a view showing the parts of each of the valve structures.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved regulator. It is intended to be placed in the dishwashing machine upon a screen therein above the water level where the spray from the wash water will impinge thereon in a manner that is well understood in the art to which this invention relates.

The improved regulator A preferably comprises a container B having a closure C. It is adapted (Cl. 20G-0.5

. 2 to rest in a tray D. The container on the bottom thereof is provided with a plurality of valve structures E. Y

The container and all of its parts may be formed of any approved material such as aluminum, stainless steel, plastic, etc. The receptacle or container portion B is provided with a bottom wall IU and a preferably cylindrical side wall II having an outwardly rolled bead at the top thereof, as shown at I2 in Figure 2. The closure C is of loose fitting type including a top wall t4 and a skirt ange I5 rolled outwardly at I5. The bottom =wa11 I0 is provided with a plurality of sets of bolt openings, each set comprising an opening I6 and a pair of spaced-apart openings I1, preferably smaller in diameter than the diameters of the opening I6 and disposed to either side of the opening I6, and all arranged so that a valve disc I8 may be rotatably secured over each set.

VThe valves E each include the disc I8 provided with a central bolt receiving opening 2|] and a plurality of bolt receiving openings 2| at the outer margin thereof. The central opening 20 and the opening I'l are adapted to receive a central bolt 23 with the head end of the bolt inside the bottom wall I0 and the nut thereon at the outer side of the bottom I0 projecting below the valve disc as shown in the drawings. When the valve disc |8 is rotated about one opening I-'I as a center, the openings 2l will register, one after the other, with the other opening I1 and a bolt 23a may be passed, through the first-mentioned opening I 1 and a selected opening 2|, to hold the valve disc I8 in a selected position. This stabilizes the position of the valve disc with respect to the feeder :opening I6. Each valve disc I8 is provided with a ring of graduated openings 24 between the central opening 20 and the openings 2I in position to selectively align with the feeder opening I6, depending upon the position of the disc I8 as adjusted thru the medium of the bolt 23a. In this manner the size of the feeder opening (to the wash water) may be regulated. It is to be noted that the opening I 6 is much larger than any of Vthe openings 24. It is not necessary to have all valve discs E with the same size openings in line with its feeder opening I6, since regulation may 'be effected thru alignment of diierent sized openings of the different valve discs with the respective opening I'G.

The screen F, upon which the soap rests, is preferably of stamped metal including a downwardly turned skirt portion 30 which is perforated and has a rolled edge 3l .adapted to rest upon the bottom wall lil as shown in Figure 2. The body portion of the screen is thus spaced from the inside surface of the bottom of the container; the space 33 being of uniform depth except at the central portion 34 of the screen F, where the same is raised and supports a breather tube 35. The tube 35 is crimped upon the portion 34 centrally of the screenand it provides a passageway 31 therethru which lopens Aat Vthe top of the breather tube just above the bottom of the lid` C and opens into the space 33 to supply breather action into said space, since it has been discovered that air cannot always reach this space, through the material disposed upon the Ascreen and a vacuum might be created-in this space.

The soap or cleaner lill :isadaptedtorest upon the top of the screen F and marginally therearound; the level terminating below the ftop of the tube 35.

The tray D is an important part of the Vregulator, since it insures ythe successful diffusion of water thruout-the lower mass of the soap within the regulator for the uniform feed of the soap into the wash water. It consists of a bottom wall S having a central raisedportion l and a surrounding annular -portion 52 provided with depressedfeet 54 adapted to rest upon some supporting surface for holding the Lbottom wall 5G spaced therefrom. Above the horizontal plane of the portion 5I is a raised or elevated ledge 55 of the tray D which receives thereon the container B, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. When resting on this ledge r55 the bottom wall of the container and its valve structures are spaced slightly from the vupper surface of the bottom wall Si! of the tray. The tray D above the ledge ll 55 is provided with an annular skirt or wall Y55a, flanged outwardly at 55 at the top thereof. When the container rests within the tray the .wall 55e retains it against sliding off 'the tray D and outer surface of the side wall I l is spaced from the inside surface of the wall 55a, as'shown atli in Figure 2l of the-drawings. In this space the Vspray water from the washing machine collects and seeps into the bottom ofthetray, since the container rests only-loosely upon the ledge 55 and sufficient water will pass thereby into the bottom of thetray. The water fromthe tray seeps upwardly thru the valve openings intothe space 33 Yof soap or cleaner lf3 therein. 'In-this respect it is noted that the side skirt 30 is perforated so that immediately upon any water entering the space V33 diffusion will start. The soapy water will, of

course, pass Afrom the soap or cleaner thru --the perforated screen vF into vthe space 33' and also Vpassthru the valve openings into the tray and dii is oniy moist at the lower part thereof.

VTo give an example of the efficiency yof the regulator a test was made by addingsoapfto wash water manually at the rate of -eight ounces at the start and eight ounces every thirty vminutes'for a 'and collects therein until the amount is sufficient vto diffuse -thru the lower portion of the mass except at the very startand end of the period and resultedinv a saving ofthe cleaner-in amount of twenty-five per cent to obtain the same cleaning effect upon dishes as during the rst test period where manual feeding was practiced.

Various changes in the shape, size and ar- -rangement ofparts may be made to the form of invention yherein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. Ina Soap feeder and regulator the combina- `tion of a container including a bottom wall and upstanding side walls, a closure for the container, valvemeans in the bottom wall ofthe container, a

.perforated screen in the container for supporting a body of soap or cleaner in the container spaced from the bottom wall of the container, means for breather action of air from the top of the container into said space, and a tray for supporting the container, said tray including an upstanding wall structure and a bottom wall and including means for supporting the container in the tray vspaced froin'the inside surface of the upstanding wall and from the inside surface of the bottom wall, said tray having an opening therein for passage-of soapy fluid therefrom.

2. In a regulator for use in spray type Washing machines the combination of a container including a bottom wall and upstanding side Walls, a closure for Athe container, valve means in the bottom of the container for regulating inlet and exit of Wash water thereto and therefrom, a perforated soap supporting screen in the container including a top wall and a depending skirted wall, Y the latter being perforated and spaced from the inside surface of the up-standing wall of the screen,whereby soap will rest not only upon said screen but alsoin the space between the screen skirt and the side wall of the container, a breather tube supported by the screen `and opening below the screen and in the top of the container below the closure, and a supporting tray for the container including a bottom wall, an upstanding skirt wall, and means formed therebetween for supporting the bottom of the container in spaced relation above the inside surface of the-tray bottom wall, ythe bottom wall of the tray having at least one combined discharge and feed opening therein.

3. In a regulator the combination of a soap receiving container having valve means inthe ybottom wall of the Ytray having Aat Aleastone combined/discharge and feed opening therein.

4. In a regulator of the class described the combination of a container including a bottom walliandV an upstanding ,side wallat rayfhaving 'a continuous upstanding wall spaced outwardly of said upstanding side wall, dening an upwardly-opening open mouth and an annular passageway between said Walls, a bottom Wall and means to support said container within said tray and with said bottom walls spaced apart, and a plurality of Valve means for regulating feeding from the inside surface of the bottom wall, said 1 screen adapted to receive thereon within the container comminuted cleaning material, a breather tube communicating the top compartment of the container with the space between the perforated screen and bottom wall of the container, a tray for loosely receiving the container in resting relation thereon having a bottom wall and upstanding side Walls spaced outwardly from said container and defining an upwardly facing open, mouth, the bottom wall of the container having opening means therein to the tray for inlet and 5 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS lo Number Name Date 350,675 Hathaway Oct. 12, 1886 563,921 Gridley July 14, 1896 750,815 Coon Feb. 2, 1904 816,860 Howard Apr. 3, 1 906 1,036,463 Dawson Aug. 20, 1912| 1,045,057 Moran et al Nov. 19, 1913 1,296,241 Walker Mar. 14", 1919 1,476,090 Lipsner et al Dec. 4, 1923 2,044,821 Urban 'June 23, 1936 20 2,178,735 Behrman No'v.4 7, 1939 2,266,902 Perkins Dec. 23, 1941 2,304,867 Wenker Dec. 15, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 25 Number Country Date 11,416 Great Britain May 26, 1908 235,951 Great Britain June 25, 1925 outlet of Water into the tray between the bottoms of the tray and container and also with respect 

